War of Equestria
by KorraAin'tWhite
Summary: An evil force threatens to cover all the lands of Equestria in eternal darkness. A war breaks out and encompasses all the races, no one will be left untouched. King Sombra has reawakened, and is seeking the one thing that can return him to his former glory. The Alicorn Amulet. To stop him, Twilight and company must destroy it, but the Amluet had already bonded with somepony else.
1. History of Equestria

**War of Equestria**

Equestrian History

Two thousand years ago, in the magical land of Equestria, it was a time of darkness and pain. This was a world ruled by chaos. All the ponies of the world were ruled and enslaved by a very dangerous and very powerful entity known only as Discord. The embodiment of disharmony.

Feeling nothing but joy in watching the ponies suffer, Discord plunged the world through chaos until his own chaotic powers created the very beings that would stop him. By combining pieces of Earth ponies, Unicorns and Pegasus, he inadvertently created the Alicorns. Two of those Alicorns, the sisters Celestia and Luna, forged six artifacts bases on the things in their lives that brought harmony and stability. Loyalty, Honesty, Generosity, Kindness, Laughter, and Magic. Christening them the Elements of Harmony, the sisters used this awesome power to battle Discord.

During the fight, Discord managed to separate the sisters and confronted Luna alone. He prayed on her insecurities, the fact that she lived in her sister's shadow. His goal was to bring the two against each other, but in the end, Luna and Celestia came together and defeated him, sealing him in stone. Together the Alicorn sisters established Canterlot as their capital city, and for the first time in a millennium Equestria had peace.

But even as the six Elements of Harmony were created, so was a seventh element. A dark mirror of the others. Ambition and Power. This seventh element, corrupting and dangerous in the wrong hooves, was connected to the other six. As long as the Elements of Harmony existed, so too did the Element of Ambition. And if it was destroyed, the other six would be destroyed along with it. Upon learning this, Celestia hid it away in a vault with a powerful sealing spell in place to keep it locked away forever.

For nearly a thousand years the three races of ponies lived separately and independently. Until the time when a massive blizzard swept over Equestria, driving the three races into conflict. Eventually the leaders were forced to hold a conference, but they could not overcome their differences. It was only the seconds in command of each race that discovered the truth, that the blizzard was being caused by the spirits of cold and hatred known as Windigos.

Upon realizing this, the three races banded together and managed to fend off the ice spirits, forming one unified nation. However, even as Celestia watched, she new this would not be enough. It was at this point she decided to take on an apprentice. She would choose a Unicorn of incredible potential and teach them everything she new so that they would grow to help lead the nation and improve quality of life for all ponies.

The princess screened hundreds of potential students before finally deciding on a young Unicorn colt from the northern Crystal Empire. His name was Obsidian Sombra. Being the only Unicorn from an empire of crystal earth ponies, Obsidian's background was full of pain and prejudice, but Celestia hoped that her good influence over him would allow him to overcome this. She taught him for years, giving him all her attention and influence. Grooming young Obsidian to become a leader and a guardian. During this time, she inadvertently ignored the needs of her younger sister. Luna steadily began to slip away. The seeds of doubt planted in her mind by Discord were starting to take root and grow into a tree of jealousy and animosity.

Obsidian Sombra grew smarter and more powerful as a magic user the more he tutored under the princess. By his third year as a stallion he was already the most powerful Unicorn in all Equestria. Second only to the Alicorn sisters. As he grew and changed from colt to stallion, so did his feeling towards his teacher change. Her regal elegance and power captivated him. Her beauty was greater than that of any pony in his mind. Unbeknownst to him, Celestia was beginning to have her own conflicting feelings towards him. She knew it was wrong, being his teacher and over a thousand years older than him. But still she had a hard time controlling her feelings. And deep in her heart Celestia knew that it would only end in heartbreak. She was immortal and would live until the ends of the world, while Sombra's time was very finite by comparison. This same fact became apparent to Sombra, and neither of them acted upon their feelings.

After his training was complete, Sombra returned to the Crystal Empire. He quickly became it's new leader and established himself as it's king. As ruler of the Empire, he established trade and commerce with Canterlot and the rest of Equestria. The empire grew and prospered under his rule. But the Crystal ponies distrusted the king. Many thought he'd forgotten his roots as a Crystal pony and was turning the empire into just another province of Princess Celestia's domain.

Late one night, a group of conspirators broke into Sombra's palace and attempted to assassinate him. He defeated his would-be assassins and by order of the law, had them executed. This only brought about more distrust from his subjects, as well as a stern confrontation with Celestia. It was upon the same meeting with her that he finally confronted her about the latent feelings they shared. Celestia, knowing that there could be no compromise between them, was forced to tell Sombra no.

During this time, Sombra learned about the legendary seventh element and where it was hidden. Using the magic taught to him by Celestia, he opened the vault and stole the Element of Ambition. Celestia caught him just as he was doing so, but he claimed that with it he could become immortal just as her and they could be together. She was tempted for a brief moment, but again told him that it would not work. Overcome with grief and anger, Sombra attacked her and escaped back to the Crystal Empire.

Once back in the empire, he stole the source of it's power, the Crystal Heart, and sealed it away the same as Celestia had done for the seventh element. He had the Element of Ambition rechristened as the Alicorn Amulet, as it made him more powerful than the Alicorn sisters.

The dark powers of the amulet quickly corrupted Sombra. He enslaved his subjects ruling with an iron hoof. Steadily his physical self was twisted along with his mental self. His horn grew curved and sharp. Dark magic encompasses his body, his teeth became fangs, and his eyes turned green and red. He even bonded a piece of his soul into the Alicorn Amulet, ensuring he would survive as long as it did. Eventually, the Alicorn sisters were forced to take action against him.

Once again, Celestia and Luna took up the Elements of Harmony and descended upon the Crystal Empire in an attempt to stop Sombra's reign of terror. Realizing that even with the Alicorn Amulet he was no match for the two princess and the Elements of Harmony, Sombra activated a teleportation spell and cast the Amulet away. Even he did not know where he had sent it. Without it, he was easily defeated by the two princesses and his body disintegrated.

But in his last act, he cast a spell on the Crystal Empire, causing it to vanish along with him. As well, he struck Luna with a blast of black magic. This spell twisted the already harsh feelings she'd developed towards Celestia and corrupted Luna into an equally dangerous foe; Nightmare Moon.

Faced with no other choice, Celestia used the Elements of Harmony one last time to trap her younger sister in the moon. The binding spell on her was so great, it would not break for a thousand years. Once Luna was gone, the Elements returned to their unawakened state. Because the harmony between Celestia and Luna was gone, so too were the elements. And with them the Alicorn Amulet also became inactive.

Sad and alone, Celestia returned to Canterlot. There she continued to rule over Equestria, never forgetting the sister or the student she lost. She would take other students, but none had the same impact on her as Obsidian Sombra. And she made sure to avoid the same personality and not choose apprentices based solely on potential for magic. For a thousand years she ruled in loneliness, until the eventual discovery of a young Unicorn filly by the name of Twilight Sparkle…


	2. Darkness Awakened

**Darkness Awakened**

A dark, dank cave. Drops of water splashed down on the stalagmites that reached up from the cavern floor. The sound of this dripping water echoed through the cave. In the very center of this cave, something unusual rested. A spire reaching up from the ground, but different from all the other stalagmites. This one was made of black crystal.

A low hissing resounded from the crystal. It flashed a slickly green, before fading to black again. Something had awakened it. The sound of hooves walking on stone began to resonate throughout the cave. Quiet at first, then growing louder as it approached. A figure entered the chamber, a tall pony-like creature. Black and gaunt, with a pair of insect wings and a crooked horn atop its head. This was no pony, but a Changeling.

This creature glanced back and forth through the cave. Seeing nothing of immediate danger, she stepped inside. Suddenly, a cluster of black crystals jutted up from the ground behind her, trapping the Changeling in the cave. The black crystal in the center glowed again, and a gust of wind brushed past the Changeling, making the sound of breath escaping. Like a hiss from a dangerous animal. "Who dares enter my domain?" A powerful voice growled. The black crystal glowed with each word spoken.

"Who dares?" The Changeling uttered. "Who dares to question me? I am Chrysalis, Queen of the Changelings. And who might I say has made the frivolous mistake of questioning me?"

The crystal growled again. A set of green eyes clouded in purple smoke flashed on its surface. "Obsidian Sombra."

Upon hearing the name, Chrysalis began to back away only to find herself trapped by the jagged crystals. Even she had heard of the tyrant King Sombra from the Crystal Empire. And heard of his cruelty. Even so, she kept her wits. "So, King Sombra. Isn't that interesting. I've heard some things about you, but never that you were a talking rock."

A snarling growl echoed through the chamber. A sharp jagged crystal shot out from the ground, slamming into Chrysalis and forcing her to the ground. "A sad creature like yourself has no room to mock me. I ought to kill you now, but I feel I might have some use for you."

Chrysalis pushed herself back to her feet. "Use?"

"I know changelings require strong emotions to survive. Particularly love. I can offer you an endless supply of everything you and your hive needs to survive. But I need a few things done first…"


	3. Infiltration

**Infiltration**

"Watch, Twilight, like this!" Rainbow Dash tilted her wings downward slightly, causing her to descend. While in this downward motion, she then turned her wings back up and around in a loop. "See? It's easy."

Twilight Sparkle sighed. "Alright." The purple Alicorn flapped her wings with powerful down thrusts and took to the air. Only a month or so had past since she received the title of princess, and with it a new set of wings. She managed to steady herself in the air, leveling her flight path. Flying was still new to her. Each thrust propelled her forward, increasing her speed.

With a tilt of her wings, Twilight lifted higher up in the air. Each flap moved her higher and higher. She glanced back over her shoulder, and watched as the ground moved ever further away. As she began to turn to a 90 degree angle, nervousness overtook her. She started wobbling in the air, her wings weren't flapping in synchronization anymore. Looking back at the earth so far below, she succumb to blind panic. Her wings locked, and body froze.

Rainbow Dash watched in horror as Twilight fell. Plummeting to the ground, her wings clamped tight against her body. "TWILIGHT!" Rainbow bolted towards her falling friend. Wing muscles ached with each downward thrust. Before Twilight could hit the ground, Rainbow caught her in her front hooves, brushing the top of the grass as she did.

Slowing them both to a stop, Rainbow Dash set her shuddering friend down gently. Twlight continued to shiver, taking short rapid breathes. Rainbow Dash nudged her slightly with her front hoof. "Hey, Twilight. Hey, wake up!" She shoved the shivering Alicorn hard enough to knock her over.

Twilight blinked a few times after her head hit the ground. After a second of glancing around she got back on all hooves and shook her wings. "He he, sorry Rainbow. I'm still getting used to these."

"Ugh." Rainbow Dash pressed her hoof into her face. "Come on, Twilight. You aren't going to get better if you don't practice more."

"Maybe I should practice the more simple types of flying before trying anymore loopy loops again." Slowly, she lifted herself back into the air again, staying low to the ground this time, and started flying back to the library.

"Awwww," Rainbow muttered, "you're a more hesitant flyer that Fluttershy."

The two ponies flew, at Twilight's slow pace, back to Ponyville. Right as they were passing Rarity's boutique, Rarity herself and Pinkie Pie came walking out. "Hey, Rarity. Hey, Pinkie Pie. What's up?"

"Oh," Rarity said, slamming the door behind her. "Nothing much, Dear."

Pinkie Pie raced right up to Twilight, staring the purple Alicorn right in the face. "Where you practicing flying? I bet you were." She zoomed over and grabbed Twilight's wing. "I bet you were testing these puppies out. Although I have no idea how someone would test puppies, I bet they aren't very good at math. Come to think of it, I'm not very good at math!" Pinkie Pie gasped. "Do you think I might actually be a puppy that thinks she's a pony!?" Pinkie automatically placed her nose against the ground and started to sniff. She then wagged her tail and barked. "Bark bark bark!"

Rainbow Dash facehoofed again.

Pinkie laughed. "It's okay, I know I'm not a puppy. Puppies enjoy chewing on bones, and I certainly don't like doing that." Pinkie giggled and bounced.

After a moment of awkward silence, Rarity cleared her throat. "In fact, darling, I was just on my way to acquire a few jewels for this new dress I was working on. I don't suppose you would be interested in joining me?"

"I've got plenty of time, Rarity. Lead the way." Twilight said. Together the four ponies walked through town. They came upon a small trinket shop and were just about to go inside, when the door opened. When it did, another Pinkie Pie stepped out.

Stopping in there tracks, the two Pinkie's locked eyes. They each took one step forward, and then a step back. They blinked at the same time, twitched their tails at the same time, even tilted their heads at the same time. Twilight, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash looked back and forth from the Pinkie Pie they were walking with, to the one that just walked from the store. "Pinkie," Twilight said, "have you been making copies again?"

The Pinkie Pie next to her leaned in close to Twilight. "No way, this one doesn't act nearly enough like me to be a clone."

As if in response, the second Pinkie head-butted the first, sending her crashing to the ground. It then took off running as fast as it could. Rainbow spread her wings and flew after it, quickly catching up. She latched her legs around the escaping Pinkie-fake and lifted it up. While in the air, the fake Pinkie Pie shape shifted. It became a prefect representation of Rainbow Dash. Shocked at the sight, Rainbow unleashed her captive only to have it kick her in the face. It then started flying away again.

"It's a Changeling!" Twilight shouted. She jumped into the air and flapped her wings, taking off after the Rainbow Dash Changeling. With serious concentration, Twilight reached out with her magic and caught hold of the Changeling in mid-air.

The Changeling struggled, yet remained in Twilight's grasp. She brought it back down, landing softly. With a slight bit more force from her magic, its disguise fell away. The Changeling's true form was revealed, a shiny black body with holes all through it's legs. Large compound eyes, a short gnarled horn, and insect-like wings. It hissed and snapped at Twilight, but she held it back with magic.

"What is a Changeling doing here?" Rarity asked.

"I don't know. I'm taking it back to the library. Rainbow, get Applejack and Fluttershy. Have them all meet me back there with Spike. I need to get in contact with the princess." Twilight said.

/

Spike had just finished dusting bookshelves when the door swung open. Twilight, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, and Applejack stepped into the library. Behind them they drug a Changeling tied up with Applejack's rope. "Um, hi, girls." Spike came down from the step ladder. "What's going on?"

"Grab a pen, Spike" Twilight said, "we have a message for the princess." Spike took a quill and paper, and started writing. "Dear Princess Celestia," Twilight started, "This letter is of the up most importance. While in town today, my friends and I encountered a lone Changeling disguised as Pinkie Pie. We have apprehended it, and have it detained in the library. We ask your assistance in dealing with this creature. You're faithful student, Twilight Sparkle."

No sooner had the ink dried then Spike rolled up the parchment and scorched it in green flames. Only a few moments after the letter was sent, he burped up a return message. Twilight caught the new note with her magic. "That was a quick reply." She unrolled it and read.

_My faithful student,_

_I fear the situation is far worse than a single Changeling._

_Please, bring yourself and your friends to Canterlot immediately. Make absolute sure to bring the Elements of Harmony with you. Also bring Spike and the Changeling. Myself and Princess Cadence will explain everything then._

_Sincerely, Princess Celestia._

Twilight set the paper down. "Come on, girls! Spike, grab a suite case!"

"Hey, what's going on?" Rainbow asked.

"We need to catch the first train to Canterlot." Twilight answered.


	4. The Princesses Throne Room

**The Princesses Throne Room**

The great doors of Princess Celestia's palace groaned as they opened. Twilight led her friends through the door. Spike trailed behind dragging the Changeling, still bound in Applejack's rope. Celestia watched as they entered the throne room and rose to greet them. "My little ponies, I'm truly grateful you could make it here on such short notice."

"Oh, course, Princess," Twilight said, "but what's with the urgency?"

Princess Celestia stepped down from her throne to meet Twilight and her friends on more even standing. "It concerns the Crystal Empire. I received a notice from Cadence only yesterday that she, Shining Armor, and many other citizens of the Empire have evacuated and are coming here to Canterlot even as we speak."

A look of stunned silence spread across Twilight's face, as well as the faces of her friends. "Evacuated? What happened?"

Celestia shook her head. "Cadence couldn't tell me in the letter. But when I got your message about this Changeling, I knew that its appearance was somehow connected."

Applejack tapped her hoof against her chin. "Well what in tarnation would this thing have to do with the Crystal Empire?"

"That is what I hope to find out." Celestia walked right up to the Changeling and used her magic to levitate it up to eye level with her. "With a memory spell." She placed the tip of her horn against the creature's forehead and closed her eyes.

The princess remained in silence for several tense minutes. Twilight, Spike, and all five of her friends eagerly stood and waited. Suddenly, Celestia's eyes snapped open and she took a step back. "Oh no."

"What? What did you see?" Twilight asked.

"Here, let me show you." Celestia's horn glowed again and enveloped the entire group in white light. Once it faded, they found themselves in a deep cave in one of the northern mountains. All around them, Changelings.

"These are this Changeling's memories." Celestia explained.

Standing before this mass gathering of insect-like creatures was their queen, Queen Chrysalis. She was talking to them, and motioning to the giant black crystal next to her. "Now, all my beloved children, I have made an agreement with this person. If we agree to help him, he'll help us."

Black magic engulfed the crystal. A pair of green eyes flashed, radiating purple energy. Twilight gasped. "Sombra."

Celestia nodded.

A hiss echoed from the black crystal. "Changeling creatures," Sombra's deep voice growled, "I have a plan that insures the domination of your race, and the enslavement of all ponies. It requires your help. In exchange, you will be supplied with anything you can ever want."

The Changelings chatter amongst themselves before Queen Chrysalis raises a hoof to silence them. "First," Sombra continued, "we will retake the Crystal Empire. I will need a few of you to go in disguised as Royal Guards and steal the Crystal Heart. Without it, even the Crystal Princess will be powerless to stop me.

"But even after that, there is something even more important. We must find a long lost artifact, the Alicorn Amulet. With that, I can retake my full physical form and even the great Princess Celestia will fall. We shall not fail."

The memory spell dissipated, bringing the group back to Celestia's throne room. Twilight locked eyes with each of her friends. They'd heard it just as she had. The Alicorn Amulet. "Princess," Twilight started, "what does-"

"Yes, I'm sure you want to know. The Alicorn Amulet is an ancient magical artifact that grants its user all the magical power of an Alicorn, but also corrupts them the longer they wear it." Celestia explained.

"Yes, I know that. We encountered it before." Twilight said. "But how does Sombra know of it? Why is it so important to him?"

"Wait, you've seen the Amulet?" Celestia asked, her voice raised. "Why haven't you informed me?!" With each sentence, her voice grew louder and harsher. Twilight winced with each word.

"Oh, mercy me, Celestia. Is that a twinge of anger I sense?" In a flash of white light, a pair of trees shot up out of the ground with a hammock of clouds between them. Resting on the clouds was Discord.

The Draconequus pulled a set of sunglasses from his face and they disappeared in another flash of light. "It's quite interesting to see you have a screaming fit at your beloved student." A pineapple with a tiny umbrella and straw appeared in his outstretched hand and he took a drink. "You mean to say you never told her where the Alicorn Amulet came from?"

Celestia glared at Discord. Despite him being better behaved, he was still quite annoying at times. But he was also right. She folded her wings and took a deep breath. "I'm sorry for bursting out at you, Twilight. Although it pains me to say, Discord has a point."

"That's right, I have a point. You heard it straight from the horses mouth, if you'll excuse the pun." Discord smiled.

Pinkie Pie collapsed to the ground, rolling in laughter. "AHA HA HA HA HA HA!" She screamed. "Straight from the horse mouth! Because she's a horse! AHAHAHAHA!" She had to gasp for breath.

Everyone else groaned in annoyance. "In any case," Twilight said, "where did the Alicorn Amulet come from? I seriously doubt something that dangerously powerful would just be lying around somewhere unchecked."

"And you would be right. The Amulet is as old as Equestria itself. I know, because I created it." Celestia explained. "Not on purpose mind you. When Luna and I created the Elements of Harmony to stop Discord…"

"Good times," Discord chimed in.

"We also created the Alicorn Amulet. Only then, it was called the Element of Ambition."

Celestia watched closely as Twilight put the pieces together herself. "You mean to say," Twilight spoke, "that the amulet is, in fact, one of the Elements of Harmony?"

Celestia nodded. "It would be better described as a dark reflection. Part of the concept of Harmony is that there is always balance. So this one element acted as a counter balance to the other six. In truth, we were forced to do that. You see, in harmonious balance one thing cannot exist without its opposite. So since the Elements soul purpose is harmony, they cannot exist without their dark reflection. The Element of Ambition." Celestia sighed and glanced about the room. Going from window to window, looking at each recreation of a victory over evil. "Now tell me, Twilight, where did you find the Alicorn Amulet and where is it now?"

"Just before the delegates from Saddle Arabia came, a unicorn named Trixie showed up in Ponyville. We'd met her once before, somethings happened and it resulted in her leaving in disgrace. When she came back, she had the Amulet and was using it to harm other ponies. Eventually we got it away from her and gave it to Zacora for safe keeping."

"Then, we need to get it back." Celestia said. "Twilight, this is of utmost importance. Sombra is using the Changelings to search for it. If they find it and bring it back to him, there will be nothing any of us can do to stop him."

"Um, Princess?" Apple Jack spoke up. "What should we do about this changeling?" She asked, tugging on the rope which still bound it.

"Leave it here. I will deal with it." Celestia replied.


End file.
